(07-20-2013, 05:10 AM)Callipygian Wrote: Recent (Sub)Speciation of the Miqo’te ClansThis section, I'd like to discuss! You have sound reasoning, but I think that you left out one big detail about the difference between Keepers and Seekers that could have completely altered your conclusion.
*snip**snip**snip*
Personally, I think the divergence happened much longer ago than you assume. My reasoning is this: Physical mutations. Keepers have sharp, pointed canines, large eyes that do not turn to "slits" in the light, and generally cooler skintones which... in other MMOs, has served as the aesthetic consequence of a lack of exposure to the sun. They also have larger ears and longer tails than their Seeker cousins. Seekers have slits for eyes that don't expand in the dark, no fangs at all, and warmer skin tones.
I think they key difference lies in diet and hunting routine. One subspecies is nocturnal, the other is diurnal. One probably eats more meats than the other. The other might eat more vegetation than the former. This all suggests to me that cultural views on mating came well after their "evolution."
I think that's another flaw with assuming that the divergence happened not long ago. Even small mutations like this would take much longer to evolve and become distinct.
Their mating structures are, I believe, simply a consequence of their nature. They naturally produce less males, therefore, they need to have developed customs, beliefs, or routines that ensure they are able to propagate their species and that their genetic material survives. I think the customs came after the natural order of things simply took its most logical course. Commitment to a single mate is even fairly recent in real-life human societies. Our ancestors were more than likely enjoying the company of the opposite sex in the same way a vast majority of the animal kingdom does--hit it and leave it.
The split could have evolved naturally, or it could have been influenced by their gods, because the existence of gods in Eorzea is objectively observable as far as I've gathered. I don't think it had much to do with sexual selection as much as it had to do with all facets of natural selection, however. Male Miqo'te do all have some markings on their faces that females sometimes lack, which you could consider a "flamboyancy" in the same way that human men having beards could be.
![[Image: byda.png]](http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7874/byda.png)
